Who are the three best guards in Falcons history?

Yesterday we talked tackles, and tomorrow we’ll talk center, which are positions where the Falcons have players that are arguably Hall of Fame-caliber topping the list. Today, we have guard, where that isn’t quite the case.

That’s not to say there aren’t good choices, because there’s familiar names here, including a beloved guard who protected Matt Ryan for most of his career. Here’s my list:

1. Bill Fralic
2. Justin Blalock
3. R.C. Thielemann

You’re digging fairly deep into the likes of Dave Scott and Kynan Forney if you want to put anyone else on this list, so you’re probably just going to debate between these three players. Fralic wasn’t necessarily the most durable guy—he played nine fewer games over the same number of years as Blalock—but I would venture that he was a better blocker. Blalock was dependable, skilled (particularly in pass protection) and durable, however, so this one is very close, and I was tempted to give it to Blalock solely because he’s a favorite.

Thielemann was also quite good, but I’ve very obviously seen less of his play given when his career landed, and he both played in fewer games and didn’t carry quite the same reputation, so he’s third.

What does your list look like?